NEWBERRY — After more than 60 years in business, the Tomahawk — or Dopey’s Cafe, as it is more commonly referred to — closed its doors for the last time Friday, bringing to an end a history that goes back to 1950 when John “Dopey” Edwards started the business.

According to John Edwards Jr., or Buzz as he is more commonly referred, his father opened the restaurant after leaving Newberry College when he was 23 or 24. Rose Edwards, Buzz’s wife, said he named the new restaurant Tomahawk for the Newberry College Indians.

“When this place came available he bought it. At one time it was a shoe repair shop,” Buzz said.

Community members and Newberry College alumni would begin referring to the restaurant as Dopey’s, John Edward Sr.’s nickname.

According to Buzz, when his father opened the restaurant he offered much of the same menu items they offered — hamburgers, milkshakes and cheese doughnuts. Buzz recalled that back then a hamburger was only 15 cents and a Coke was only six cents.

For those who have not been to Dopey’s, you might be asking, what is a cheese doughnut? Simply put, it is two doughnuts with two pieces of cheese in between, and then it is grilled, like a grilled cheese sandwich.

“Boy, that thing smells good too,” Buzz said. “Back then (when the business opened) we got them from Johnnie’s Donuts, it was downtown. He had a secret recipe for those doughnuts. He would sell them all across town,” Buzz said.

Some time after Johnnie’s Donuts went out of business, in the late 1960s, Dopey’s would begin using Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The idea for the cheese doughnuts came from Dopey himself, who had a sweet tooth, according to Rose.

“He came up with the idea to make them, that was his imagination. He was very creative,” she said. “A lot of people ask, we just tell them exactly how they are done. We also tell them he got doughnuts from Johnnie’s Donuts, and you have to do what you can do, so we chose the next best thing, and that is Krispy Kreme.”

Rose added that the smell always reminds her of the state fair. She also said she has served them to customers, and will turn around for only a few seconds, but when she turns back around the cheese doughnuts have already been consumed.

Buzz started working with his father when he was about 10 years old. He said that his mother (Sybil) got sick, and passed away in 1963. So he began helping his father and learning the now family business. Buzz said that over the years, the menu items he has made the most are cheeseburgers, cheese doughnuts and milkshakes.

“Over the years several people come back and they say, ‘I cannot find a burger like that no where,” he said.

Over the years Rose said they have thought about adding other menu items, but when people come in they already have a hamburger in mind. The way a hamburger is made has not changed over the years at Dopey’s, and the price really has not either. While the price is no longer 15 cents, Rose said she has looked around and their prices are the cheapest in town.

“You cannot go up a whole lot because college kids do not have a whole lot of money. Our prices have not gone up in five years,” Buzz said. “As long as you treat people right, they will always come back to you.”

Rose added that the heart of their business was college kids and the community.

Another distinctive feature of Dopey’s is the decorations. Inside, you will not only be greeted by a friendly Rose and Buzz, but with Coca-Cola memorabilia. That began with a Coca-Cola menu board, which can still be found on the wall. Buzz added to the collection over the years.

Mr. Dopey

Rose said Dopey had personality plus — he never met a stranger and had an excellent memory.

“When anyone would come back, he would remember their names, that just made them feel important, he had that ability to remember,” she said. “He never had a frown on his face.”

Buzz added that his dad never needed a calculator and could calculate orders to the T, and he enjoyed talking politics with students.

“A lot of them boys were Republicans, he was a Democrat, they would get into politics pretty good,” Buzz said.

Buzz took over the business about 15 years ago, when his father was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. However, Buzz said he would still come down most of the time, even though it was a strain on him.

“He still liked to come and see the college kids. He would say when he came over here he felt like he was at home,” Buzz said.

Rose began helping out around that time.

“We have known each other and been together for 30 years, but I let him and his dad do their own business,” she said.

Dopey passed away in 2008, but his memory lives on through the stories Rose and Buzz hear almost daily.

“Amazing to me, the stories that I hear that go way, way back. Buzz is in the kitchen, but I tell him about them. I tell him and bring him out as often as he can come,” Rose said. “One parent I remember distinctively, paid a big amount of money to us for his daughter to come here anytime she wanted to.”

Buzz added that when people come in they say it is like going back in time.

Saying goodbye

Rose says they are at retirement age, and together they discussed it and decided it was just time.

“We do not wanna quit it, we do not wanna stop it because we love the people and the business. It has been great, but there comes a time when you know when it is time to do it,” she said.

Dopey’s will be opened through Friday, starting at 5 p.m. each day. Rose said they will close based on how business is doing that night. While Buzz and Rose do not know how business will be this last week, Buzz said they have had a lot of people coming in to get a cheeseburger for the last time.

Both Buzz and Rose said what they will miss the most are the people.

“It has been overwhelming to me, the people and the kindness, all of the nice things they have to say. People have not been here in 30 years, and they never forget,” Rose said. “It amazes me the memories people have. The oldest man I have talked to, since I have been helping out, graduated in 1949, Mr. Shuler in Orangeburg.”

Buzz and Rose Edwards stand outside Dopey’s Cafe. Before it was ever a restaurant, the building was once a shoe repair shop.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0023.jpgBuzz and Rose Edwards stand outside Dopey’s Cafe. Before it was ever a restaurant, the building was once a shoe repair shop. Andrew Wigger | Civitas Media

Buzz and Rose Edwards have been running Dopey’s Cafe for about 15 years. Buzz’s father, Dopey, began the business in 1950.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0028.jpgBuzz and Rose Edwards have been running Dopey’s Cafe for about 15 years. Buzz’s father, Dopey, began the business in 1950. Andrew Wigger | Civitas Media
History goes back to 1950

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.